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MacroFrance

Government debt in France

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

France's government debt is 116.00 % — #117 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

116.00%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 1.2 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in France over time

116.00 %68.65 %21.30 %21.30 % · 19801980: 21.30 %1981: 22.60 %1982: 26.20 %1983: 27.70 %1984: 30.20 %1985: 31.90 %1986: 32.40 %1987: 34.80 %1988: 34.70 %1989: 35.50 %1990: 36.80 %1991: 37.80 %1992: 41.70 %1993: 48.20 %1994: 51.60 %1995: 57.80 %1996: 60.60 %1997: 62.00 %1998: 62.10 %1999: 61.40 %2000: 59.70 %2001: 59.30 %2002: 61.30 %2003: 65.40 %2004: 66.90 %2005: 68.20 %2006: 65.40 %2007: 65.50 %2008: 69.80 %2009: 84.10 %2010: 86.30 %2011: 88.70 %2012: 91.70 %2013: 94.60 %2014: 96.20 %2015: 97.00 %2016: 98.10 %2017: 98.80 %2018: 98.50 %2019: 98.20 %2020: 114.90 %2021: 112.80 %2022: 111.40 %2023: 109.60 %2024: 113.20 %2025: 116.00 %198020032025116.00 %
46 official observations, 1980 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#117 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
6 %
7 of 124 countries
Latest move
▲ 2.80 pp
since 2024
Full series
▲ 94.70 pp
since 1980

In Europe: #35 of 37vs median 54.55 %: +61.45 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %France: ahead of 6 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtFrance 116.00 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. France is ahead of 6 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs France
115 Ukraine108.70 %−7.30 pp
116 Canada113.50 %−2.50 pp
117 France116.00 %—
118 United States123.90 %+7.90 pp
119 Italy137.10 %+21.10 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about France

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare France with another country →Everything about France →
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